MrEpsYtown

Perhaps two 2nd rounders?

They should push their chips in for Drew Brees and really do something special. Still so much cap. Grab Barkley and Nelson.

That would be the "Rob Johnson" strategy...but at least Foles won a Super Bowl and has had success in the past...not just one or two games.

WIth all of the free agents available plus Foles possibly in a trade, I think he is in for a long wait. I think he could sneak into day 2, but I think he is a day 3 pick. This reminds me of the Mariota-Winston draft. Those guys went 1-2 then the next quarterback did not go until the third in Garrett Grayson, Petty went in the 4th, Hundley in the fifth I believe. People were talking about Grayson, Hundley, Petty being 1st-2nd round picks. I think Rosen, Darnold, Allen go high, Mayfield somewhere in the first and I think Jackson sneaks into the end of first. After that I think Rudolph slips. I think there is a chance he goes in the third. He will not go in the first or second. You just don't draft low ceiling prospects who need a ton of work high at quarterback. There is simply no upside. There is way too much potential at other positions.

I think we sometimes see 2nd round quarterbacks drafted in the first. We don't typically see fourth rounders being grabbed in the first...well besides EJ Manuel.

Odell Beckham's eyes just lit up

You fill gaps with free agents like Ivory and Davis, but you need to draft that franchise quarterback. Filling gaps gets you 8-8 every year. My argument would be that the Bills have tried to do this over the past twenty years or so. The only time they really tried to get a quarterback was JP Losman and EJ Manuel. JP was like the 4th or 5th best quarterback in quarterback stacked draft. EJ was what they deemed to be the best guy in a crap draft for quarterbacks. Problem was that he was also crap. Many people want to draft Mason Rudolph, a clear drop off from the top guys in this draft. That would be the Losman strategy. Some people want to wait till next year, which is shaping up to be a crap quarterback crop, aside from maybe Drew Lock. This would be the Manuel strategy. Remember that stacked Jim Schwartz defense? The team still sucked. You need a franchise quarterback. With two first round picks and a good crop of quarterbacks, now is the time to make the move. This team just made the playoffs. We have a good team with no quarterback. In 2003, the Steelers had an ok team with a no quarterback. That team went from 6-10 to 15-1 and AFC Championship because of the quarterback.

This is a great post. I'm with you here. My biggest problem is that Rudolph has all of those issues stated plus a weak arm and small hands. Cardale was a 4th round lottery ticket with a huge arm. Rudolph is a lottery ticket without the physical ability. I don't understand why people think he would be the answer for us. I see Bryce Petty and someone said Landry Jones, which is about where I think this guy is potential wise.

I definitely agree, but I think with the Colts switch to a 4-3 they are going to need that beast defensive end. It is a huge need for them and the free agent options aren't great. They do have a ton of cap though.

I'll keep saying it, but I think quarterbacks go 1, 2. The Broncos trade to 1 for Allen and the Bills trade to 2 for Rosen. The Browns would pick 4-5 and still get to pick Barkley and Darnold after the Colts take Chubb. I feel like Chubb at 3 is locked in. If the Broncos get Cousins, this would be off obviously. I still think Cousins goes to the Jets, Vikings, or Cardinals.

It is definitely smokescreen season at this point in the calendar. I think the stuff before the combine is often what is closest to the truth. At that point, there is no reason for smokescreens and stuff. A lot of those rumors come from seeing GMs and scouts at certain games and things of that nature. It could be the result of a rival scout having a conversation at a water cooler or something. I think rival teams are very much in touch with what other teams want to do and what their boards look like. With that in mind, I think two rumors can be very close to the truth and those are a trade up for Josh Rosen or Sam Darnold or possibly going after Mason Rudolph later. I think the intent for McBeane is to find a way to bring Rosen on board as I think he is their #1 quarterback and I think the rumblings about them loving Rosen are true. All of these rumors came well before the combine. I think they did their due diligence on guys at the Senior Bowl. I also think it is possible that Sam Darnold is the apple of their eye as there were rumblings about the Bills loving him at one point well before the combine as well. I think one of these two are their #1 targets. I also think it is possible they really like Mason Rudolph. Now I think he is terrible and I want nothing to do with him. However, I think there is enough proof of Beane scouting him, that he might have significant interest in him. I think interest in Jackson is a smokescreen. There are a number of Erhardt-Perkins teams besides the Bills and that is really where that connection came from. The Cardinals just hired Mike McCoy, an E-P guy and they need a quarterback. The Chargers' Ken Whisenhunt is an E-P guy, and they could use a guy to groom behind Rivers. I also think we will start hearing a million rumors about Baker Mayfield soon and how we like his competitiveness and toughness. I think that is a smokescreen as well. Allen I am not sure on because he does fit what Beane has talked about wanting. Allen to me is the enigma and I still think he goes #1 overall when the dust settles. I suppose Allen could be the guy they want because we haven't heard much of anything connecting him to the Bills, but I don't think he is their guy. Based on everything I have heard and read, I think it's Rosen or Darnold early or Rudolph, unfortunately, later.

Keeping comp picks in mind, this is what I would do: WR: Allen Hurns: I know he hasn't been released yet, but I really think he will. Jacksonville is a cap crunch and they can save 7 million with no dead money if they move on from Hurns. He has a lot of ability, but has had a lot of injury issues. 26, 6-3 with a thousand yard season a few years ago and good speed. TE: Levine Toilolo: Big guy, good blocker released from the Falcons. Adds a good 2/3 behind Clay and O'Leary. CB: Buster Skrine, slot corner who is good in zone. I think Skrine gets cut by the Jets. Really good speed and knows the AFC East. MLB: I'm taking a flyer on Brian Cushing...I know PEDs and such, but the guy can play and is a hard worker and a leader. McBeane just signed another PED guy in Odighizuwa. Plus Cushing has some familiarity with John Butler on our defensive staff. He would be a stop gap for a year or two until we find a true MIKE for this defense. Maybe its Evans, or Vander Esche, but our MIKE is not on the team right now and free agency does not look good. I'd also keep an eye on New England too see if they cut Shea McClellin. I think he could effectively play the SAM or MIKE in our defense. DT: Corey Luiget: Could be cut from the Chargers. Got a big contract and some of his production fell off, but I think he is a better player than he ahs shown and I'd love to see him work in a 4-3. None of those guys would count towards comp picks and, besides Hurns, would probably be on the cheaper end of things. In terms of actual UFAs: WR: If we can't get Hurns, I like Richardson and Allen Robinson as well as Donte Moncrief. I'd be fine happy with any of the three. C: Ryan Jensen: Developed under Juan Castillo and found a home at center. A nasty player who is young and tough with good size. He is also versatile as he has played center, tackle, and guard. DT: If Luiget doesn't get cut, I think you have to sign someone here as a UFA. Not sure who, because these guys are always expensive. I really like DaQuan Jones, still young and yet to play in a 4-3. I'd like to see him get that chance. Richardson is a great fit, but not sure we could make that happen. The only UFAs we have that will be of interest to other teams are Kyle, Matthews, Brown, Gaines, and probably Deonte Thompson. So I think we are limited to something like 2-3 actual UFAs if Beane is actually going to play the comp pick game.

I say he kind of looks like the guy from “I Love You Beth Cooper”...maybe its just me!

I like this signing as this guy seems to have some untapped potential. I remember watxhing him at the combone as well and thinking he was going to be good. Who know what happens going forward, but its depth either way and a really food fit for what we do on defense.

Can I get a refund on JP Losman and perhaps Torell Troup? It be nice to have Aaron Rodgers and Gronk. Ill take store credit for EJ Manuel and slew of other crap draft picks over he last 20 or so years. I will say that McBeane's tenure will be defined by the quarterback pick they make this year. They grossly mishandled things with Tyrod and Peterman last year and they need to do this over. Drafting an ordinary guy is just not going to get it done. The 6th or 7th best quarterback cannot be the plan. I think they want to get one of Rosen, Darnold, or Allen. Anything short of that doesn't really move the needle in my opinion.

I mentioned this elsewhere, but many TV people are ego maniacal pieces of poo. Not saying Berman is. Just saying. I worked in television for a few years and the racism and sexism runs rampant. Hazing is generally accepted as well. All reasons why I left said TV industry.

Just had a baby a month ago so no window jumping for me! But yes I really won't be happy about it, but I will support the team 100%. I honestly wish I loved Rudolph because he will be available without a trade up. I just can't see what others see. If I'm wrong will certainly be ready to eat my plate of crow. I think the difference is that there have been murmurs around that Allen could go #1, going all the way back to Schefter's report during last year's draft. There are others that have this opinion, and it wouldn't be crazy to see. If it happens, there will be people questioning the move, but the consensus is that he's a first round quarterback with huge potential. Trappaso looks like a crazy person all alone on "the world is actually flat" island.

Good points, but I just don't understand where Trappaso is coming from. I have to trust the opinions of the Mayocks, Jeremiahs, Kipers, and McShays of the world over Trappaso. Especially a guy like DJ who is a former scout who is still plugged in. Those draft gurus study a ton of film and have been doing it forever. They are plugged into what NFL personnel people believe. I'm saying that no one else at all is saying what Trappaso is saying, except for people on this board. I think if NFL personnel people felt good about Rudolph, it would be reflected in what these guys are saying and their big boards. And even though I am nobody, the things I see reflect what the expert consensus seems to be...that's it's Rosen, Darnold, Allen in whatever order....Mayfield and Jackson....then a huge drop off. Part of the draft is projection and potential, and those guys all have that. Rudolph does not. And I disagree that the draft is full of surprises. Yeah some guys are over drafted and some guys slip, but for the most part guys tend to go where they are supposed to. Do guys like Russell Wilson and Tom Brady surprise people? Sure...but the draft usually goes the way it is projected. Sometimes guys slip a round when teams start drafting for need, but the top fifty guys are usually the top fifty guys. The mocks are always wrong, but the round guys go in is usually on point.

Agreed 100%. How could every NFL personnel person be wrong? Even guys like Jeremiah who was an actual front office guy. Maybe Trapasso and Rudolph share an agent?

He isn't losing steam. The idea that he is a top quarterback was a completely fabricated fantasy. He is starting to regress to where he really belongs, which is third or fourth round. I think once teams fill positions in free agency and draft the top five guys, I think there will be a long wait for quarterback 6, whether that's Rudolph, or Lauletta or whatever. I think the top five go in round 1 and the next guy goes in round 3.

Should be Peyton Manning.

Mason Rudolph is good

If they don't trade him, they risk losing him for nothing in 2019. He has a strange provision that his contract voids in 2019 if he is on the Eagles roster. The more I think about it, the more I'm ok with this move. Not for a 1 and 4, but I think I'd be willing to give a 2. He seems like a great fit and the contract is a 5 year deal that is pennies, allowing the team to upgrade elsewhere. https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nick-foles-contract-would-make-him-a-free-agent-if-hes-on-the-eagles-in-february-2019/ My gut is that he winds up in Arizona if they can't get Cousins.

The one guy I really want in free agency is Ryan Jensen, formerly of the Ravens. He's a center who is versatile and had a great year. He's got a really nice mean streak, he's the guy who went after Alonso after the chap shot to Flacco. He loves Castillo and generally give some hm props for his success. I'd like to see him brought in and Groy get a shot at RG. Jensen is just 26 years old and has played some guard and tackle as well. I also like Conor McDermott as a possibility at RT.

Where's that guy who always says a pre free agency mock is a waste of time? He's right y'know